Prevention Tips for Everyone!

 

Know! That Gratitude Matters

As we approach the end of the year and the start of the holiday season, we often reflect on what we are grateful for. Practicing gratitude is an essential skill for adults and young people alike. By showing and feeling appreciation for others, we can build and strengthen our relationships, develop empathy, and even increase our happiness. Gratitude is critical to fostering mental well-being and creating a sense of hope in young people’s lives.1   Consider using your role as a caring adult to promote gratitude in the lives of young people. Try out the following tips for cultivating a gratitude practice that works:

Model Gratitude

Young people learn by watching the adults in their lives. Your daily words and actions can go a long way in helping young people to practice gratitude. Show them what it means to be grateful by consistently saying thank you to a helpful neighbor or your cashier at the store. Make a point to express your gratitude openly – you might point out that you’re grateful for the sunshine that day or talk about writing a thank you note to a friend. Don’t forget to thank the young people in your life when they do helpful things to let them know they’re appreciated. These actions can open the doors for young people to recognize small things that make them thankful and practice expressing their own gratitude.1,2,3

Find Creative Ways to Say "Thank You"

Learning to say thank you is important in building a gratitude practice. While prompting young people to say “thank you” can feel forced, it’s helpful for young children to practice expressing their gratitude and noticing when others have done something nice for them. Remember that there are many ways to express gratitude, and young people may not feel comfortable with all of them. Work with your young person to come up with creative ways of saying “thank you” that work for them. They might want to draw a picture instead of writing a note or give a thumbs up instead of verbally saying “thank you.” What’s important is that young people learn how to express their appreciation for others.1,2,3

Ask Questions

Talking about what it means to be thankful can help young people foster a deeper sense of gratitude beyond just saying “thank you.” According to the University of North Carolina, gratitude has four parts: noticing what you are grateful for, thinking about why you have been given those things, considering how those things make you feel, and doing something to express your appreciation. Take time to start a conversation with the young people in your life about what it means to experience gratitude. You might ask some of the following questions: What do you have in your life to be grateful for? Can you think of a specific moment recently when you felt grateful? Have you ever thought about why someone might give you a gift or do something nice for you? What do you think motivates them? What does it feel like when someone does something nice for you? What about their actions makes you feel that way? Is there a way to show how you feel about receiving a gift? What do you think is the best way to show your appreciation? 1,2

Try a Family or Classroom Activity

Help young people show gratitude throughout the year by planning activities that emphasize showing appreciation for others. You might find local charitable events to get involved with, like a holiday toy drive or a charity run. You could organize your own activity, like preparing homemade baked goods to share with your mail carrier or writing thank you letters to first responders in your community. You could also create a bulletin board where everyone can share what they’re grateful for each day or make a gratitude routine by choosing a specific time each day to express gratitude. Find what works for you and the young people in your life, and prioritize gratitude.1,2,3

Give Young People Credit

Notice when the young people in your life express their gratitude, even if their way of showing their appreciation doesn’t fit your expectations. Acknowledge their efforts to appreciate others and practice gratitude. By tuning into how young people in your life indicate their thankfulness, you can show them that you appreciate their thoughtfulness and encourage them to continue to show their gratitude as they grow.2

Resources How to Teach Gratitude & Activities for Kids | Children's Bureau (all4kids.org) Practicing Gratitude as a Family | PBS KIDS for Parents How To Help Kids Develop Gratitude — Making Caring Common (harvard.edu) Fostering Gratitude Parent Tips | SPAW Sources 1. How to Teach Children Gratitude (verywellmind.com) 2. 10 Tips for Raising Grateful Kids - Child Mind Institute 3. Teaching an attitude of gratitude to young children - Child & Family Development (msu.edu)

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. For more information, click here.

PREVENTION ACTION ALLIANCE 6171 Huntley Rd Ste G Columbus, OH 43229

Sunday Zoom Office Hours!

Join us for our December Office Hours! Sunday, December 10th at 7PM via Zoom Sign up here to attend. https://bit.ly/giftofPTA

Ohio PTA Office Hours Monthly on Sundays! Plan to Join Us!

 

When: Nov 26, 2023, 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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Ohio PTA Night with the Cleveland Cavaliers!

Join us for Ohio PTA Night at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, January 15th vs Chicago Bulls. Ohio PTA will be recognized on the court during the pregame and for every ticket purchased, $5 will go back to Ohio PTA. Come out and support Ohio PTA and cheer on our Cleveland Cavaliers.  Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/478qOo2

 

Know! to Support Social Skill Development

As a caring adult, you know that today's world looks different than it did just a few years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that we all communicate with each other and form connections. Young people may struggle to build and maintain social connections in an increasingly disconnected world. Lack of social connection can lead to loneliness and isolation, negatively affecting young people's mental health. Support the young people in your life with these tips to encourage the development of social skills at all ages.

Preschool – Early Elementary

Help them take turns. Younger children may struggle to wait their turns, especially if they're still getting used to more frequent in-person interactions. Practicing turn-taking helps kids learn about empathy, kindness, and flexibility, which are critical social skills. Use time at home to show young children how to take turns – alternate between doing the activities they suggest and the activities you suggest or take turns selecting the topic of conversation at the dinner table.1,2   Encourage taking a different perspective. The ability to consider the perspectives of others is essential in forming friendships and connections. Use situations in your and your young person's life to emphasize the importance of understanding others' perspectives. You can model perspective-taking by sharing your thoughts and feelings about a situation, what motivated your behavior, and how you considered other people's feelings when making a decision. You can also ask the kids in your life how they think other kids might feel about a situation. For example, you might say, "You love playing with that toy. How do you think [friend] might feel about playing with that toy?" to help them think about how others might be the same or different from them.1,2,3   Use media as a teaching tool. Watching television shows and movies can be a great way for kids to identify social skills and understand unspoken social rules. You can use time watching TV or movies to point out how different characters feel, what makes something funny, or the dynamics between the characters. You might even ask your young person what they think will happen next, what they think the characters will feel, and what social clues they used to make those predictions.1,3

Upper Elementary – Middle School

Talk about Popularity and Peer Pressure As children get older, the social dynamics among their peers often become more influential in their lives. Start having open conversations about popularity by asking young people what characteristics make someone popular and how those qualities make them feel. For example, you might talk about the difference between popular peers who are kind, empathic, or positive and popular peers who are "cool," exclusionary, or influential. You might also want to ask about any stressors they are experiencing, including peer pressure, and share strategies for resilience.2,3   Encourage Friendships Good, healthy friendships help young people develop and practice social skills and can also protect against poor mental health. Discuss with your adolescent what qualities they value in a friendship, how to choose friends with those qualities, and how to embody them.2 Check out last January's Know Tip on Promoting Healthy Friendships for more ideas and information.   Check In After Activities After a social event, big or small, check in with your young person about how they felt about it. How did their interactions with their peers go? What was difficult for them? What do they want to do differently next time? By checking in, you can help your young person think about how different interactions make them feel and pay attention to potential warning signs of loneliness and social isolation.1,4

High School

Get to know their friends and hobbies. Take time to learn about what is going on in your teen's life. Ask about their friends and dating partners, what they like to do together, and what they enjoy about the people they spend their time with. Find ways to connect by sharing your hobbies and interests, asking about theirs, and encouraging them to get involved in activities that relate to their interests. This way, you show that you care about your teen, form a better connection with them, and help them find potential new friends.5   Normalize feeling insecure. Most teenagers struggle to feel secure in their identity and may find those insecurities affecting the way they interact with others. Let your teen know that feeling insecure is a normal part of this stage in their life, and encourage them to empathize with themselves and their peers. After all, most of their peers are also worried about their identities and dealing with complex feelings.2   Build up their identity. Especially if they are feeling insecure in their identity, use your conversations to help your teen honor and value themselves. Encourage them not to change who they are to fit in with their peers and develop their values, even if they don't align perfectly with your own. Young people benefit from feeling confident in their identity, so share what you love about them and how proud you are of them for being themselves.2

Resources Middle school malaise (apa.org) Social Skills Role Play Videos | Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior (ucla.edu) Teaching kids about kindness - CHOC - Children's health hub Resilience for teens: 10 tips to build skills on bouncing back from rough times (apa.org) Sources 1. Teaching Social Skills at Home - Child Mind Institute 2. How to help kids navigate friendships and peer relationships (apa.org) 3. At-home tips for building social skills in kids - CHOC - Children's health hub 4. What You Can Do to Improve Social Connectedness | CDC 5. Social Development | HHS Office of Population Affairs

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